Sectional-top desk.



P. S. MARCELLUS.

SECTIONAL TOP DESK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.8, 101B.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918,

4 shun-wan I.

P. S. MARCELLUS. SECTION/AL TOP DESK. APPLIVATION man APR,B, I918.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918..

U v 8 RF 7 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

k L I l Q \EJ m\\ P. S. MARCELLUS.

SECTIONAL TOP DESK.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. I9I8. 1,280,794. Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Q ii P. S. MARCELLUS. SECTIONAL TOP DESK.

APPLICATION FILED APR-8| I918. 1,280,794.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- PERCY S. M AROELLUS, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY} SECTIONAL-TOP DESK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY S. MARGELLUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at 23 Lincoln Place, Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional- Top Desks, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The present improvements relate to a desk in which the top is divided into sections, and the desk is formed with two side-bodies and an' intervening space to admit the limbs of the user.

The side-tops cover the two bodies respectively, and are movable sidewise to expose filing-chambers within the upper parts of such bodies. The center-top may be made movable in any convenient way. It is shown divided into two portions, the rear one being arranged to move downwardly when the front one'is pushed backward. Such backward movement of the front section afi'ords access to the space beneath the center-top, which can therefore be utilized for drawers or closet-room.

The object of the invention is to simplify the mechanism for operatin the center-top, and to rovide means for loc ing the centertop and all the drawers and storage spaces that may be located upon the desk bymeans of a single key.

The improvement will be understood b reference to the annexed drawing, in whic Figure 1 is a front elevation of the desk; and Fig. 2 a plan of the desk with the centertop and side-tops omitted. Fig. 3'is a vertical section of the parts adjacent to the center-top taken upon the line 33 in Fig. 1, .with the center-top pushed half-way back; Fig. 4 is a section on line H in Fig. 1 with the front-portion of the centertop drawn forward a d the rear portion elevated to its level; Fig. 5 shows the under side of'the front portion of the center-top, with the edge of the right-hand side-top; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the same parts; Fig. 7 is a section of the said front portion and threedrawers beneath one side of the same taken at the center line of the boltspindle u in Fig. 8; and Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the same drawers in section through the bolt on line 8-8 in Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a plan of the desk with one of the slides Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

Application filed April 8, 1918. Serial No. 227,175. i

l fitted to the top of one of the side-bodies; Fig. 10 shows the under side of such slide; and Fig. 11 is a section on line 11-11 in Fig. 2. Fig. 12 shows an equivalent for the stud w of Fig. 11.

In Figs. 1 and 9,. the center-top is shown formed of a front leaf A and and covers the space between the side-bodies G, G, the tops of which are provided with movable side-tops F, F. These side-tops are mounted upon links H pivoted within the ends of the side-bodies, 1,244,523, dated October 30, 1917, so that each can be moved laterally to expose the space within the side-body.

Each side-top is shown provided with a removable slide H which may be removed from the side-top and is proportioned to fit the space between the center-top and the side-top, and thus close the ap which is formed over the side-body when the sidetop is moved laterally. By this means the desktop may be greatly extended in area whenever required. One of the links H is connected, as shown 1n Figs. 1 and 2, with two sprin s z and z fastened to the link and to fixe supports 6 at opposite sides ofthe links fulcrum I. These springs operate to counterbalance the weight of the side-top when pushing the same laterally to expose the space withm the side-body.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the spring'z' is shown under tension, and thus operates to pull the attached link in the direction required to move the slide sidewise. When the slide is moved sidewise, as shown at F at the righthand side of Fig. 2, the spring 2 is under as in my Patent N o.

rearleaf B, 1

tension and assists the operator in moving the slide inward to its closed position. This counterbalancing device is of very simple construction, and very useful and effective in balancing the side-top.

Referring to the means for operating the links are pivoted, and also shows the upper,

part of a casing E for a nest of drawers below the center-top, such casing lying wholly below the mechanism for operating such top. The front leaf has a box A upon its under side for a drawer A movable back and forth under the leaf A.

The links a are secured to a rock-shaft 0 to oscillate therewith, and the adjacent links I) are journaled loosely upon the rock-shaft and provided with an arm 0' which engages a stud (1 upon the link a, when the front leaf is drawn forward, as shown in Fig. 4:. A spring a is wound upon the rock-shaft c and engages a loop 6' upon the rear leaf B.

This spring operates normally to draw the rear leaf B downward, and as the two leaves A and B move in reverse directions, the spring assists to lift the weight of the leaf A, when starting to move it backwardly from its normal position.

The weight of the leaf B when the arm a is in contact with the pin d also serves to counterbalance the weight of the leaf A, so that it is easy to lift the leaf when pushing it backward, and its descent to its original position is somewhat cushioned by the action of the spring e when the leaf A is drawn wholly forward.

The dotted lines f in Fig. 4 show the curve of movement taken by the leaf A when pushed backwardly, such backward movement also causing the rising of the leaf. The rocking of the links a, a, by rotating the rock-shaft, causes the spring to press the leaf B downward when the leaf .A

is moved backward. 4

The leaf A in Fig. 3 is shown pushed half Yway backward, the rear leaf being lowered thereby into contact with the back-board C of the desk.

The stud (Z clears the arm 0' when the rear leaf reaches such position, and such arm and the links 6, I) remain motionless while the leaf A is pushed wholly backward, which lowers it to the level of the desk-top and locates it between the two marks lettered C upon the adjacent side-top F.

iThe center-top may be used in this position,.with the space open between the sidebodies in front of the drawer casing E, such casing being accessible at such time for opening or removing the drawers 9, g, 9

When the leaf A is again drawn forward it bring the stud (Z into contact with the arm a when near its forward position, and as such leaf falls to its original position it raises the rear leaf B again to its original position, as shown in Fig. 4.

. The under side of the leaf A'is grooved to receive a bolt-rod k, which is shown in Fig. 5 held in the groove by platesh and pushed normally backward by a spring 11, which bears against a shoulder upon the bolt and upon a stationary abutment j.

The bolt as shown in Fig. 3 projects from the rear edge of the leaf A which clears the leaf B as soon as the front leaf begins to rise. A tooth k is provided upon the leaf at Bto engage the bolt when the leaves are at locked condition.

the same level, to hold them in that position.

The drawer A is provided with a lock having a bolt Z adapted to engage a notch Z in the bolt-rod h, and when such drawer is locked by means of a key applied to a keyhole 1, the center-top is locked in its normal operative position.

The side-edges of the center top, as shown in Figs. 1 and 11, rest upon the inner walls D of the side-bodies. This construction would make it impossible for the rear leaf B to descend When pushing the front leaf backwardly, except a recess D were cut in the inner surface of each wall D, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 by the dark shading of the recess. I

'This recess D .is also shown in Figs. 3 and 4. i

The bottom line of the side-top F is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, as it would be concealed from view by the'wall I) where" mal positions over the tops of the side-bodies D and D. This is effected by bolt-rods n mounted in guides at upon the bottom of the leaf A, in spaces adjoining the side-tops.

The inner end of the rod n is provided with a tongue to engage a hooked latch m upon the edge of the adjacent side-top F.

A spring 7) is applied to the rod n to press it normally forward clear from the latch m, bpt means is provided by which the closing of the drawer pushes the tongue upon the rod into engagement with the latch m, and

holds it thus engaged so long as the drawer is locked. K

Space is provided between the opposite sides of the drawer-box and the adjacent side-tops for the insertion'of these bolts and their guides, and the drawer is formed with lugs 0 at its front corners which project past the sides of the drawer-box when the drawer is closed, and also extend over the spaces just referred to, so as to wholly cover the front endsof the boltrods n. (See lower left-hand corner of Fig. 5.) The lugs 0 push the bolt-rods inward, and-thus hold the bolt-rods in a locked position in opposition to the springs 1). When the drawer is locked it thus prevents access to the boltrods n and also retains the side-tops in a -The lugs o are shown upon the drawer,

the one at the right-hand side of Fig. 6

covering the front end of the bolt-rod a, but

the other broken off at the left-hand side of the drawer to expose the engagement of the bolt with the latch m.

The links H, lie close to the front and rear walls of the s aces within the side: bodies, and ledges are shown in Fig. 2

provided to support a bottom-plate L over a rock-shaft I, to which two of the links H are secured to make them move in unison. The bottom plate I] is omitted in the lefthand body in Fig. 2 but shown in the righthand body.

Drawers K are shown in the side-bodies below the space in which the links H operate, and a locking-arm s is fastened to the rock-shaft I, in a suitable position to engage a tongue 8' secured upon the rear end of the drawer K. Such engagement occurs when the side-tops are in their normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, and the drawers K are thus locked so long as the side-top remain in such position, and the locking of the drawer A thus operates to lock the sidetops and the drawers K simultaneously.

The same is true of the nest of drawers 9, g, g (sustained in the casing E below the center-top) by locks of special construction. The locks, to effect this result, are shown in Figs. 1, 2, 7 and 8.

Two narrow drawers are shown over a wide one in each half of the casing E, and to lock three drawers simultaneously a boltspindle u is extended downward through the partition 42 between the small drawers to engage a socket 'v in the top of the large drawer beneath.

The spindle, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, is inserted close to the front end of the drawers, and the socket is formed in the front piece of the large drawer 9 which is shown drawn outwardly from the casing in Fig. 2 to expose such socket. The boltspindle projects above the top of the casing and is held normally raised in the position shown in Fig. 8 by a spring '0 When thus raised the top of the spindle projects in the path of the drawer-box A when the leaf A is drawn into its forward position shown in Fig. 4, and the drawer-box operates as the leaf takes its final position to press the boltspindle downward and engage its point a with the socket 4: upon the bottom drawer.

The two upper drawers g and g are locked by a cross-head u" upon the boltspindle which, when the spindle is pushed downward, operates to engage a notch in the upper edge of each of the smaller drawers at the junction of its side-plate with the front plate, as shown at w in Figs. 2 and 7.

In Fig. 8, the bolt is raised to its normal at position by the spring '0 and the three drawers are thus entirely released to be opened and closed.

With the construction shown, two of the bolt-spindles are required each to lock three drawers in the casing E, and such lockin is effected automatically when the leaf A is moved to its normal position and the drawer is locked in the box A.

The operation of tlie look upon the drawer Q5 by which its bolt Z engages the bolt-rod h,

thus serves to lock every storage space within the desk, including the center-top, the drawers beneath the same, the side-tops and the drawers beneath them also. All the storage spaces in the desk can thus be locked by a single key, thereby avoiding the carryingof a number of keys to meet the same requirement.

It will be understood that where a casing of drawers is inserted below the center-top its front end is disposed at such a line as to clear the limbs of the person sitting at the desk, and the center-top is made movable backward nearly to the same line, so as to permit free access to the drawers.

In the drawing, the front leaf A and the rear leaf B are shown provided with two separate sets of links which are connected together by a self-releasing connection, in I the arm 0 attached to, one of the links of 3a the rear leaf; but such construction may be varied without departing from the invention.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 show means for supporting the slide when used to fill the gap between the center-top and an extended sidetop. The right-hand side of Fig. 9 shows the end of a slide H projecting from the front of the extended side-top F, and the bottom of the space in that side-body is closed with a bottom-board L which also covers the top of the drawer K. On the inner side of the side-top are studs w and 3 upon which the edge of the slide can rest.

Corresponding projections to support the opposite edge of the slide are shown at 'w and 3 the latter being an ear secured upon the inner side of the side-body D at its front corner, and the one at 'w being a projection upward from the rear post of the same side-body.

Recesses 'w are made in the edge of the center-top-leaf A and corresponding recesses in the opposed edge of the side-top F to receive these projections when the sidetop is drawn in.

The stud w is made with a spring-shank, as shown in Fig. 11, to permit it to yield when the side-top is retracted and this stud comes in contact with the edge of the rearleaf B. An equivalent of the stud e is shown in a pivoted button 10' in Fig. 12, which yields as readily as the spring-stud.

The recess Q02 in the under side of the leaf A is shown indotted lines in the edge of the leaf in Fig. 3, and is made long, with sloping ends, to make the leaf clear the stud 11 if such leaf is pushed backward while the side-top is retracted.

Notches y are formed in the under side of the slide H as shown in Fig. 10, to engage the studs and prevent the slide from moving longitudinally.

From the above description it is plain that the means for locking the center-top 139 dependently of the means in a closed position operates upon the means for locking the drawers and side-tops, in-

for moving the center-top forward and backward; and substantially the same devices can be combined with a sliding top.

The locking of such sliding top when pulled forward. may operate upon all the other .locking devices in the manner described above.

In the construction illustrated, the bolt upon the bolt-rod H prevents either of the leaves A or B from moving up or down, and thus retains them both in their normal position flush with the side-tops.

The bolt-rod H is projected slightly from the front edge of the leaf A so as to be readily pulled forward in opposition to the spring i when it is desired to disengage the leaves, and the locking of such rod by the bol}; Z also serves to lock the drawer to the lea From the above description it will be seen that the chief feature of the invention consists in' making the locking of numerous parts dependent upon the locking of a single part; as the locking of the bolt Z upon the drawer; and it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular arrangement of drawers shown herein, as the locks of the drawers whatever their arrangement may be actuated by the movement of the front-leafA to its normal position at the top of the desk.

Having thus set forththe nature of the invention what is claimed herein is:

1. In a desk having a movable center-top divided into ,front and rear leaves, the combination, with such leaves, of links for raising and lowering the leaves, and a selfreleasing connectlon between the two sets of links arranged and operated automatically to wholly lower the rear-leaf during a partial backward movement of the frontleaf, and to raise the rear-leaf to its normal position during the final-forward movement of the front-leaf. 2. A desk having side-bodies with a center-top movable backwardly between the same, and side-tops movable laterally upon the side-bodies, means at the sides of the center-top for lockin the side-tops thereto, and a lock for 100 ing the center-top in its forward position, with connections to the means for locking the side-tops to the center-top.

3. A desk having side-bodies with a center-top movable backwardly between the same, and side-tops movable laterally upon the side-bodies, means at the sides of the center-top for locking the side-tops, thereto, a box upon the under sideiof the center-top,

'a drawer movable in such box, with means for locking the same and simultaneously locking the center-top in its forward position, and bolt-rods actuated by the drawer when closed to lock the side-tops to the center-top.

4:. A desk having side-bodies with sidetops movable thereon, a center-top movable between such side-tops, drawers in the desk with means for locking the same, means for locking the center-top, and means operated by the centertop, when closed and locked, to automatically operate the locking mechanism of the said drawers.

5. A desk having side-bodies with sidetops movable thereon and a drawer in the lower part of each side-body,- a center-top divided into two leaves movable backwardly between the side-tops, a casing of drawers between the side-bodies below the center-top,

a drawer-box and drawer upon the front leaf of the center-top and means actuated by the movement of the drawer when closed to lock the side-top to the center-top and to lock all of the said drawers.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set 111 hand.

y Y PERCY' S. MARCELLUS.

bill 

